One of the most important defense witnesses in the George Zimmerman murder case – the one who told police he saw Trayvon Martin straddling Zimmerman and "throwing down blows on the guy kinda MMA-style," was quietly brought to the Seminole County Courthouse Dec. 11 and deposed, according to new court paperwork.

The man, identified in court records only as "witness 6," was a neighbor who told authorities he heard and saw the fight.

By identifying the clothes they wore, he told police that Zimmerman was on the bottom, was being beat up and was crying for help. ::snipping2::Witness 6 was re-interviewed a few weeks after the shooting by an FDLE agent and prosecution investigators, and he backtracked, saying he was not sure who was calling for help. He also said he was no longer sure if the person on top was throwing punches or just holding down the man on the bottom. Either way, he said, the man on the bottom was trying, without success, to get up.

He was still sure, he said, who was on the bottom: the man wearing red.

O'Mara releases list of defense evidenceThe list of 15 items does not appear to include any blockbusters.11:15 a.m. EST, January 18, 2013

George Zimmerman's attorneys today gave official notice to prosecutors of some of the evidence they plan to use.

Their list includes 15 new items. None appears to be a blockbuster. Instead, the list is mostly police and FDLE records that appear to be the equivalent of fine print, for example a subpoena request by a FDLE agent for Trayvon Martin's phone records; a letter former State Attorney Norm Wolfinger wrote to FDLE, asking its help; a crime line report about a potential 8-year-old witness for whom authorities searched but could not find; Sanford police records on calls for help from Zimmerman's neighborhood; and police and FDLE evidence property receipts.

The list also includes four pieces of video, three of them surveillance video from retail stores, parking lots or apartments. It's not clear what their evidentiary value is. ::snipping2::

George Zimmerman's attorneys on Friday asked a judge to order ABC News and reporter Matt Gutman to surrender all their recordings, notes and correspondence related to one of the most important witnesses in the murder case against their client, Trayvon Martin's girlfriend.

She says she was on the phone with the Miami Gardens 17-year-old when he and Zimmerman came face to face moments before Trayvon was shot Feb. 26.

ABC aired an audio interview with the young woman March 20 during which she said Trayvon told her he was being followed by a strange man and was frightened. She heard Trayvon ask the man, "What are you following me for?" A short time later, the phone went dead, she said.

O'Mara's four-page motion says the call lasted more than 26 minutes but that the recording provided by authorities is only 12:44.

Wrote O'Mara, "It's is apparent from a review of the tape that there are several 'starts' and 'stops' and other obvious edit indicators." ::snipping2::

George Zimmerman's attorneys have deposed a key state witnesses, Mary Cutcher, who didn't see Zimmerman kill teenager Trayvon Martin but told authorities she heard the gunshot then saw a man standing over Trayvon Martin's body, straddling it and appearing to press down on him.

In the days after the shooting. Cutcher became an outspoken critic of the Sanford Police Department for not immediately arresting Zimmerman and for not taking her seriously or keeping appointments. ::snipping2::According to court paperwork recently released, Cutcher and three other witnesses were deposed Wednesday by defense attorneys. The others include Selma Mora, her roommate whose account is similar to Cutcher's, and two other people who also called 911 that night. ::snipping2::Both women in media interviews said Zimmerman seemed nonchalant after the shooting.

Although Cutcher advocated for Zimmerman's arrest, Sanford's lead investigator, Chris Serino, said portions of her account bolstered Zimmerman's self-defense claim.

Zimmerman said Trayvon had pinned him to the ground and was pounding his head into a sidewalk when he shot the 17-year-old.

After the gunshot, Zimmerman said he climbed on top of Trayvon and pinned the teenager's hands to the ground because he feared the high school junior might do him harm.

Special prosecutor: I have jurisdiction to charge Shellie ZimmermanA hearing on the defendant's motion to dismiss is Feb. 19.12:30 p.m. EST, January 23, 2013

SANFORD - The special prosecutor in the Trayvon Martin murder case argues that her office does have jurisdiction to put the defendant's wife, Shellie Zimmerman, on trial for perjury because the governor last month issued a new executive order expressly saying so. ::snipping2:: Defense attorney Kelly Sims in November asked a judge to throw out the perjury charge, saying Corey's office didn't have jurisdiction to file it. Corey serves Duval, Clay and Nassau counties, and Shellie Zimmerman was in Seminole County when she testified at that bond hearing. That means the local State Attorney, Norm Wolfinger, had jurisdiction – not Corey – Sims argued in court paperwork.

But Corey's office filed paperwork, made public today, countering that argument.

Last month, Gov. Rick Scott renewed Corey's appointment as special prosecutor in the Trayvon Martin case, and this time, the order expressly spelled out that Corey's assignment included "the cases filed against George Zimmerman and Shellie Zimmerman."

Corey's lead prosecutor in the perjury case, John I. Guy, wrote that even without the new order, Corey has jurisdiction because Scott's original executive order charged her to investigate "all matters pertaining to the death of Trayvon Martin." ::snipping2::Circuit Judge Marlene Alva will decide the jurisdiction argument in the Shellie Zimmerman case. She's scheduled a hearing Feb. 19.

Attorneys for George Zimmerman yesterday deposed a woman who told Sanford police the night Trayvon Martin was shot she saw two figures fighting, "a heavier man on top."

Zimmerman outweighed the Miami Gardens 17-year-old by 45 pounds, according to prosecution records.

Defense attorneys have begun the long work of taking sworn statements from witnesses in the case. Paperwork released today by defense attorney Mark O'Mara's office show that yesterday, they took the deposition of a woman who called 911 the night of the shooting.

She is identified only by number, "witness 18." It's not clear what she told attorneys yesterday but when interviewed by Sanford police Feb. 26, the night of the shooting, she said she heard loud voices outside her window then heard them quiet, but they got loud again.

She could not see clearly, she said, but made out "two men on the ground … a heavier man on top."

"Then I heard someone desperately saying, 'Help, help.' " she said and called 911.

She heard "a pop," she said, "I heard it more than once."

According to prosecution records, Zimmerman fired once.

After that, the woman said she saw a "larger man" standing over the other, who was still on the ground. ::snipping2::

::snipping2::The lawsuit names O'Mara, George Zimmerman and his wife, Shellie. In his answer, O'Mara denies the large majority of the facts stated in the lawsuit.

He does, however, admit several allegations:

• That he told AIS in August that "both George and the trustee [overseeing his defense fund] are clamping down" because "we have some very large expenses for the case coming up."

O'Mara also said "George does not have any funds presently available to him to attend to any such debt, realizing the enormity of upcoming expenses of the defense and the diminished nature of the defense fund."

• That AIS was "unable to obtain either a signed written retainer" with O'Mara, or the "outstanding balance on the services rendered."

• That no payments have been made to AIS by O'Mara since August.

AIS provided security for a court hearing June 29, the civil complaint says, and the arrangement evolved into "nearly constant" watch on Zimmerman's family.

The company's invoices, attached to the suit, show that it billed Zimmerman and O'Mara $66,000 for 21 days of protection, an average of more than $3,100 a day.

O'Mara said after the suit was filed that he had paid the company $40,000, that its charges appeared exorbitant and that he had never signed a contract.

O'Mara: We've spent $300,000 on George Zimmerman and are desperate for more donationsJanuary 31, 2013

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara today said that he and client George Zimmerman have spent their way through more than $300,000 in donations and are desperate for more funds.

"The case is out of money," he said.

Zimmerman's defense fund has raised $314,099.17, O'Mara disclosed, but its balance is currently less than $5,000.

The defense cannot finish preparing for trial, for example hire needed audio and gun experts and private investigators, without more cash, he said. He and Zimmerman need about $30,000 a month, according to his website.

O'Mara unveiled a revamped defense fund website today, explaining where all that money has gone. ::snipping2::

“The sad fact is if you don’t have money, you cannot defend yourself. God bless and good luck.”

The message above was accompanied with a $40 donation to the Zimmerman Legal Defense Fund Trust, and it is a true statement.

The State has virtually unlimited resources to prosecute George. To finance his defense, however, George relies on the generosity of individuals who believe he is innocent. These are people who question the motives behind the charge against George. These are people who resent the high-profile rush to judgement against George. These are people who fear George will not get a fair trial.

George is innocent -- yet he has been convicted in the court of public opinion. The defense team has been doggedly committed to the vigorous defense of George Zimmerman, and remains committed despite the personal and financial sacrifice that has been required. We will see this through to the end, and we will not be satisfied until we see justice served in the form of immunity or an acquittal, and we will not stop unitl the wrongs against George have been set right.

In this effort, we need your help.

The State of the Defense FundAs of January 2, 2013, the George Zimmerman Defense Fund has received $314,099.17. We are amazed by the thousands of people who have donated what they could to ensure George gets a fair trial.

But we have a long way to go. When Mark O’Mara accepted the Zimmerman case, he, along with many other legal analysts, predicted the defense would cost more than $1,000,000. The defense has moved forward on a shoestring budget, relying on individuals who have been willing to work for free or at a substantially reduced rate. To date, attorneys Mark O’Mara and Don West have not been paid for their services.

George’s trial has been set for June of 2013. A Self-Defense Immunity Hearing is likely to happen two months before then. For the defense team, the hardest work lies ahead, including significant expenses for experts and investigators. Currently, thanks to donors who continue to keep George in their prayers, enough money has been coming in to satisfy the bare minimum required to keep the defense afloat. We’ve come close to a zero balance on many occasions, and there is no guarantee donations will continue.

Our Fundraising GoalAs we prepare for an Self-Defense Immunity Hearing or a trial, the cold fact is that we must raise more money. Our goal is to raise $30,000 per month. This represents the minimum we calculate we need to conduct the defense George deserves, and this figure does not include any attorney's fees.

Because we are asking you to donate more money, we want to tell you how your donations have been spent and how we plan to spend future donations. That’s what this website is for. Here’s what you are going to find as you explore this site: ::snipping2::

George Zimmerman's defense attorney Mark O'Mara filed a motion in his second-degree murder case on Wednesday, asking a judge to delay his trial in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, currently set for June.

The basis for the new motion is a series of issues and delays in gathering evidence and conducting depositions, and the defense filing lays much of the blame for the delay at the state's feet. Among O'Mara's arguments:

•The state delayed substantially in providing the defense a quality, color photo of George Zimmerman's facial injuries taken at the shooting scene. Prosecutors initially provided a black-and-white photocopy in May, O'Mara says, then a color photocopy in August and finally a digital copy in October, but only after repeated requests and a judge's direction.

•The state still has not provided a complete and fully intelligible recording of a Martin family attorney's interview with a girl who says she was on the phone with Trayvon moments before the shooting, O'Mara says.

•O'Mara writes that Trayvon's cell phone has changed hands between law enforcement agencies repeatedly for analysis, and a full record what's been gleaned from the device has not been given to the defense. ::snipping2::Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson is expected to hear argument on the delay request and other pending motions on Tuesday.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The attorney for George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watchman charged with shooting and killing Trayvon Martin, has released what the defense says is a new picture of 17-year-old Martin as part of discovery on Wednesday.

Attorney Mark O'Mara told Local 6 that Martin's father, Tracy Martin, provided what the defense team says is a much more accurate picture of his son to Sanford Police Department on Feb. 27, 2012 -- the day after the shooting.

O'Mara says his defense team believes that the picture Martin's family provided to the media, depicting a younger Trayvon Martin, is unfair to Zimmerman. O'Mara says many in the public still view Martin as a young boy because of one of the first pictures released of him.

The defense says Zimmerman was ambushed by a much older-looking teen and that the public should be aware of that. ::snipping2::

O'Mara's motion also complains about prosecutors not providing him information about the young woman who says she was on the phone with Trayvon, a Miami Gardens 17-year-old, in the moments just before the shooting.

She was 18 years old that day – not 16 as Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump identified her – O'Mara said, and prosecutors have not provided enough information about her to allow him to subpoena her Twitter and Facebook records.

Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda today objected to a delay in George Zimmerman's trial, accusing defense attorney Mark O'Mara of spending too much time on media interviews and suggesting that O'Mara may be stalling because he's out of money.

O'Mara on Tuesday filed paperwork, asking Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson to delay Zimmerman's second-degree murder trial, which is currently set for June 10.

The same day, he announced that he and Zimmerman had spent their way through more than $300,000 in donations and desperately needed more.

That plea generated a quick $5,200 infusion, the defense fund's website reported today.O'Mara appears to want the trial pushed back to November, de la Rionda wrote, but deserves no additional time.

The state has done nothing in violation of Florida's rules of criminal procedures, de la Rionda wrote, and he's done far more to help O'Mara round up witnesses and evidence than he normally does.

O'Mara is the reason for the delay, de la Rionda wrote. The defense attorney has been slow to schedule depositions and sometimes cancels them at the last minute, de la Rionda said.

O'Mara has made it clear that he wants to investigate witnesses before he deposes them, something that slows the process.

For example, before he deposes her, he plans to review the Twitter and Facebook posts of a young Miami woman who says she was on the phone with Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black 17-year-old killed by Zimmerman when they came face to face.

That could mean a delay of several months while O'Mara pushes those two social networking sites for access to her account information.

The judge will hear both sides present argument for and against a trial delay on Tuesday.

De la Rionda today filed his written response to O'Mara's request for a trial delay: ::snipping2::

(ORLNew court paperwork reveals that prosecutors have unlocked a great deal more information from Trayvon Martin‘s cellphone, including satellite-tracking information that shows where it was in the days leading up to his shooting.

But if it also lays out the teenager’s movements Feb. 26 — the day Trayvon was shot and killed by George Zimmerman — prosecutors have not released that to defense attorneys.Read more...